THE CHARACTER OF GOD

In this brief debut reference book, Baptist pastor East examines the nature of the Christian God through direct quotations from the Bible.

Starting with Exodus 34, the author investigates what he believes is the one point in the Bible in which God truly reveals himself. East hopes that by examining the true nature of the deity, readers will better be able to know and emulate him. He links the aforementioned chapter in Exodus, which deals chiefly with God’s interactions with Moses, with similar passages in the New Testament regarding the behavior and nature of Jesus Christ. He even breaks down the various terms that God uses to refer to himself, including various forms of the name “YHVH,” or “Yehovah.” It’s no surprise that East is a pastor, as the entire book takes the tone of a sermon—kind, informative, patient, and directly referring to both the speaker and the listener. It reads like a conversation between the author and his reader, even as it outlines another conversation between God and Moses. Christian readers will likely get the most out of this book, as it relies on assumed knowledge of various verses, but the text is clear and easy to parse, overall. It’s evident that East has done a great deal of research into not only the biblical passages he references, but also the history of various Hebrew words and customs. Overall, this book would be a useful companion for anyone seeking to further their personal, Christian faith, as it raises many intriguing points for consideration.

A fine addition to any library of biblical analysis.